PORTO FARINA, a town of Tunisia about 20 M. E. of Bizerta, on the Ghar-el-Mela, a lagoon, also known as the Lake of Porto Farina, at the mouth of the Mejerda (the ancient Bagradas). Porto Farina was the naval arsenal of the piratical beys of Tunis and was bombarded by the English under Admiral Blake in 1655. The lagoon has become very shallow in consequence of the silt brought down by the Mejerda. The town has ceased to be important, and its inhabitants have dwindled to about 1500. The ruins to m. to the south-west, near the village of Bu Shater, are identified with the ancient Utica (q.v.).